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June 17, 2019

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Pray Continually

"Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances." 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Prayer has always been a mystery to me. I cannot conceive how man--an infinitesimal, microscopic being in the fathomless reaches of God's creation--can lift up his heart in faith and bring down the power of God to minister to his need. This is simply beyond my understanding. But this is God's method for us to communicate with Him. Prayer moves the heart of God, and in turn, moves the power of God. Nothing is beyond the power of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God. Someone has said that Satan's greatest concern is to keep true prayer out of the lives of Christians. WHY? It is through prayer that we come into the very presence of God. It is there He communes with us and we with Him. Much is wrought in this time of "coming apart and being alone" with God in the secret of His presence.

Paul says in this verse to "pray continually." What do you think that means? It means that we should be in an attitude of prayer and in conscious communication with God continually. It means that our immediate response to any given situation is PRAYER! Our lives should be in quiet submission to His authority so that we have unfailing confidence, not only that He is in control of our lives, but that we can go to Him in prayer with liberty, to lay bare our heart before Him, and to know that He cares and IS ABLE to meet the needs of our lives, whatever they may be. Every encounter is an occasion for us to come before Him in prayer, to trust Him implicitly, and to see the gracious unfolding of His will and the manifestation of His power. This is the "exhilarating path" along which faith takes us when we truly pray. Let me ask you: Have you seen the power of God in your life recently because you sought Him in prevailing prayer? Are there things in your life hindering God from answering your prayers?

Paul said, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests before God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." No anxieties are so small that He will not regard them; none are so great that He cannot meet them. It is our responsibility to cast all of our anxieties on Him; it is His responsibility to fulfill His promise to us. This is brought about through PRAYER, coming into His Presence. What an inconceivable privilege and blessing He has provided for every believer! Are you selling yourself short by not pursuing this privilege?

He says, "Come boldly unto the throne of grace that you might obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Can you imagine the privilege we have...coming into His very presence? Think on that for a while; it's inconceivable! It is for every Christian! What is our course of action after we have prayed? Follow in faith, pursue with purpose, persevere with determination, and wait in great expectation! PRAYER is the power plant of every believer. It is the source of our strength. It is the avenue through which God bends His heart to us, hears the thanksgiving of our hearts and the adoration of our praise, and knows the needs of our lives. His heart is open to us to do "exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think." Dare to pray continually!

© 2007 by Ed Powell. Used by permission.


This page was reprinted by permission from: http://litmin.org/dare.php?date=2019-06-17


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